1.5.0.39 - Quality of resized image seems poor

[Ken Cope]

The first image is cropped to 1280x720 then put through AP's export, resized to 640x360 with Lanczos resampling and 94%.

 

The second image has exactly the same workflow applied but uses Serif PhotoPlus X8.

 

When I compare the two the AP one looks as though it has had some serious unsharp masking applied whereas (to my eyes) the PhPX8 one looks more natural and more like the original but smaller. I know I've been using PhP for some years now and the quality hasn't changed but is something happening that shouldn't with AP or has PhP fooled me all these years? As you will see the PhP file is slightly larger in this instance.

 

Image 1 AP

 

Image 2 PhP

 

Image 3 - original

 

The image is from Pixabay and has a Creative Commons License

[Alfred]

I agree, Ken. The PhP one looks quite natural, but the APh one shows strong signs of having been sharpened.

[MEB]

Hi Ken,

Select Lanczos 3 (separable) if you want to get a similar result.

The non-separable option sharpens considerably more than separable.

[Ken Cope]

Okay, thanks MEB, I wondered what the difference was between the two - I'll give separable a try.

[Ken Cope]

Yes, there is a marked difference in the quality of the APh using separable, it comes out as good as the PhP version but at 100 kb more. Which leaves the question, why offer non-separable? Where would we use the non separable option?

 

APh separable Lanczos:

 

PhP Lanczos:

[SrPx]

Where would we use the non separable option?

 

 

I believe there's several cases, one that comes to mind is when, instead of a landscape or an image where the important aspect is beauty, is an image where is key that text in a very small sign is readable... maybe stuff like that.

[jorismak]

also note that 1.5.0.39 is the version that fixed a bug in the resizing on Windows causing other stuff to happen than you select in the resize dialog.

So if you have a previous version, first update :).

[Ken Cope]

also note that 1.5.0.39 is the version that fixed a bug in the resizing on Windows causing other stuff to happen than you select in the resize dialog.

So if you have a previous version, first update :).

 

Thanks jorismak I have .39 installed - perhaps I should have said that in the description :)

[Ken Cope]

I believe there's several cases, one that comes to mind is when, instead of a landscape or an image where the important aspect is beauty, is an image where is key that text in a very small sign is readable... maybe stuff like that.

 

Yes, SrPx I can see that using text would be a good candidate for the non-separable option. :)